Circular 1242
The 2001-2005 NEHRP Strategic Plan (FEMA, in press) stresses the importance
of post-earthquake investigations. NEHRP has long supported post-earthquake
investigations including efforts in the earth sciences, engineering, and socioeconomic
disciplines. Improved coordination is necessary if these investigations are
to maximize learning through the sharing of information. Because the USGS has
the statutory responsibility and authority under Public Law 101-614 to conduct
post-earthquake investigations, the Strategic Plan tasks NEHRP under the leadership
of the USGS to (1) examine the roles and responsibilities of the various groups
involved in post-earthquake investigations and (2) develop a NEHRP protocol
action plan as well as a funding mechanism for investigations following major
domestic and foreign earthquakes. According to the Strategic Plan, the NEHRP
protocol action plan should detail the degree of coordinated learning desired,
how those findings will be obtained, and how findings can be most effectively
disseminated to all stakeholders in a comprehensive, multidisciplinary NEHRP
report. The objectives of the present plan are to improve coordination during
post-earthquake investigation efforts, minimize duplication of efforts, identify
activities that could be supported with additional resources (such as disaster
funds from FEMA or supplemental appropriations), and maximize the opportunity
to learn from both domestic and foreign earthquakes.
To develop the NEHRP protocol action plan, the USGS requested the assistance of the Applied Technology Council (ATC) of Redwood City, California, under USGS cooperative agreement 1434-WR-97-AG-00015, ATC-35. ATC organized a multidisciplinary 7-member committee to draft the plan and a multi-institutional oversight committee to review the plan. Input was solicited from experienced post-earthquake investigators and NEHRP agencies at an invitational workshop held March 13-14, 2001, in Menlo Park, California. The workshop was jointly sponsored with EERI. Based on input from the workshop, a draft plan was prepared. In addition to the review by the oversight committee, comments were solicited from the general post-earthquake investigation community on a draft posted on the ATC Web site. The present plan is the result of this manifold input and comment process.
| Abbreviations | Domestic Earthquakes | Foreign Earthquakes |
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